Colne Valley High School's young entrepreneurs

Colne Valley High School year 11 students (from left) Grace Redman, Beth Hirst, Beth Peters and Eddie Kaye with their Lads Kits at the Young Enterprise Trade Fair

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Budding entrepreneurs from Colne Valley High School joined other fledgling businesses at a Young Enterprise Trade Fair.

The event was held at the White Rose Shopping Centre, Leeds, and saw teams of young entrepreneurs from all over West Yorkshire pitching their businesses alongside retail centre’s familiar stores.

The aim was to give young people a chance to find out what it’s like to be in business and to develop the skills they will need in the world of work. As well as producing or sourcing their product or service, the students also developed business and marketing plans as part of the project to set up and run their own company for a year.

The Colne Valley team of Grace Redman, Beth Hirst, Beth Peters and Eddie Kaye were selling Lad Kits – two boxes of essentials for the archetypal young male. One contains items often forgotten when going on holiday, including toothpaste, toothbrush and body wash The other contains items to make a Valentine’s Day special including meal ideas, candles and petals to decorate a table for two.

Beth Hirst said: “We sold six kits on the day, but more importantly we got lots of feedback. The main suggestion was to sell online. Now we are discussing extending the range.”

The team of Year 11 students will attend two more trade fairs before the project finishes this summer. Beth said the exercise had encouraged all four team members to consider business as an option after school, adding: “We are quite dedicated to what we are doing.”

Colne Valley High School

Nikki Appleton, marketing manager at White Rose Shopping Centre, said: “We were really pleased to be able to support the Social Enterprise scheme for the 11th successive year in the centre. This is a fantastic opportunity for young entrepreneurs to gain experience in understanding how a business works in a retail environment and we are sure that they all learned a lot.

“We have some really talented young people across Yorkshire and we’re proud to have been able to offer them a platform where they could try out their business ideas.”

Jane Walton, chairman of West Yorkshire Young Enterprise Board, which organises the event, said: “The Trade Fair has provided these companies with a real taste of trading with the public in this wonderful commercial retail centre I am really impressed with their confidence and commitment to their businesses.

“All the companies should be very proud of their professionalism and innovative products.”

Those taking part in the Trade Fair also included groups from Dixons Allerton Academy in Bradford, Crossley Heath Grammar School in Halifax, Sowerby Bridge High School and North Halifax Grammar School selling items ranging from personalised mugs, soap hampers and photo frames to sweets and personalised hats.

The Colne Valley team has a Twitter account @LADKits and Facebook page LADkits